If this is your first visit, you will have to register before you can post. To view messages, please scroll below and select the forum that you would like to visits. Questions? Be sure to check out the Forum FAQ.

Minor issue: workspaces and saving z-order

07-25-2011, 04:19 PM

Just a minor point:

When you have multiple workspaces open and cycle through them using the next/previous keys, z-order is not preserved when you leave a workspace and then come back to it. So, for example, if you have a workspace set up with (let's say) 15 different charts, with some overlapping others, when you navigate away from that workspace and then come back to it, the z-order of all the windows is not preserved and therefore you have to click on all the windows again to get them in the right order. This can be annoying with multiple workspaces, if you are switching between them.

Just a minor point, but it's something you can test out and include in the next release if you want...

I have tried testing this using some simple workspaces and am not able to duplicate the issue.

To test further and establish that this occurs on a scale beyond your installation can you please go to the Help > Mail to Support feature and then please send an email to support that way and include your workspaces.

Please reference this thread and then we can test your workspaces to duplicate the issue.

Comment

I have tried testing this using some simple workspaces and am not able to duplicate the issue.

To test further and establish that this occurs on a scale beyond your installation can you please go to the Help > Mail to Support feature and then please send an email to support that way and include your workspaces.

Please reference this thread and then we can test your workspaces to duplicate the issue.

Thanks for testing this... can you try this with a number of charts that are set to "Always on Top"? I think that this may have something to do with it. I have also noticed that when a chart has the "Always on Top" property set, then when you click on the Link button (the one with the 7 different colors), the chart actually loses its "on top" property until a color is selected. I don't know if that is related, but you can test it...

Comment

In testing this further I set up three workspaces with several charts each. Applied to each chart were multiple indicators all set to work on panel 1 so that I could then set the levels. Once I set the levels I then saved the workspace. I repeated this until I had three open workspaces. I then cycled through them each and checked the levels of the charts I had created which had remained intact contrary to what you are seeing.

If you were to create a new workspace and then test would you the z-order preserved within the new workspace.

When testing this I did have the Always on Top feature enabled and was able to duplicate the issue you mentioned there where when selecting the Linking feature, and prior to selecting a color the window will move behind others as a temporary loss.

To further document these you can forward the workspace files from the Mail to Support feature.

Ryan O.NinjaTrader Customer Service

Comment

In testing this further I set up three workspaces with several charts each. Applied to each chart were multiple indicators all set to work on panel 1 so that I could then set the levels. Once I set the levels I then saved the workspace. I repeated this until I had three open workspaces. I then cycled through them each and checked the levels of the charts I had created which had remained intact contrary to what you are seeing.

If you were to create a new workspace and then test would you the z-order preserved within the new workspace.

When testing this I did have the Always on Top feature enabled and was able to duplicate the issue you mentioned there where when selecting the Linking feature, and prior to selecting a color the window will move behind others as a temporary loss.

To further document these you can forward the workspace files from the Mail to Support feature.

I think we may have a miscommunication here: I believe that what you are talking about is the z-order of indicators within each chart, whereas what I am talking about is the z-order of the windows themselves. For example, try to make some of the chart windows overlap with one another and see if that kind of z-order is preserved. I think you may find that the window overlaps you originally set up do not remain the same the next time you come back to that workspace. Sometimes they seem to be preserved, but a lot of time time they are not. See if you can duplicate that effect...

Comment

In testing based on that further clarification I continued to use the same workspaces I had created earlier. Each chart was set to Always on Top and then based on that setting I am able to arrange in a particular manner so that they overlap in particular ways.

Once I had configured the workspace charts to overlap in that manner I closed and then re-opened NinjaTrader and cycled through my workspaces making note of the overlapping nature of each of the windows. In each case the overlapping window was in the same location relative to other windows.

It may be that the general workspace configuration is not maintained, and to test this you can close NinjaTrader and then go to My Documents > NinjaTrader 7 > workspaces and delete the _workspaces.xml file.

Ryan O.NinjaTrader Customer Service

Comment

In testing based on that further clarification I continued to use the same workspaces I had created earlier. Each chart was set to Always on Top and then based on that setting I am able to arrange in a particular manner so that they overlap in particular ways.

Once I had configured the workspace charts to overlap in that manner I closed and then re-opened NinjaTrader and cycled through my workspaces making note of the overlapping nature of each of the windows. In each case the overlapping window was in the same location relative to other windows.

It may be that the general workspace configuration is not maintained, and to test this you can close NinjaTrader and then go to My Documents > NinjaTrader 7 > workspaces and delete the _workspaces.xml file.

Interesting... the only difference between what you did and what I did was closing NinjaTrader and then re-opening it... can you try the same thing by just re-arranging one of the workspaces without closing NT, and see what happens when you cycle through? Then try re-arranging and just saving the workspace, with the same cycle-through test. I wonder if it will be preserved without actually closing the application first... I can't test it right now since I am away from my PC, but I will try that later today and get back to you.

Comment

I had tried both manners and tested by cycling through prior to closing, and then after. As long as Always on Top is enabled for each of the charts what I was seeing is that they maintained their display order within the workspace.

Ryan O.NinjaTrader Customer Service

Comment

I had tried both manners and tested by cycling through prior to closing, and then after. As long as Always on Top is enabled for each of the charts what I was seeing is that they maintained their display order within the workspace.

Alright... I will do some more testing later I guess... what exactly should happen if I close NT and delete the workspaces.xml file, just so I know? Is it just going to change which workspaces show up when I first open NT?

Comment

That file is a workspace configuration file and does contain some of the general workspace settings. By removing that we may modify some of the internal dynamics of the workspace, but you can then set those and then save and test with the newly created file that governs workspace behavior.

You will not lose any of the workspaces or their settings, but just some of the practical matters that determine the workspace configurations.

Futures, foreign currency and options trading contains substantial risk and is not for every investor. An investor could potentially lose all or more than the initial investment. Risk capital is money that can be lost without jeopardizing one’s financial security or lifestyle. Only risk capital should be used for trading and only those with sufficient risk capital should consider trading. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. View Full Risk Disclosure.

CFTC Rules 4.41 - Hypothetical or Simulated performance results have certain limitations, unlike an actual performance record, simulated results do not represent actual trading. Also, since the trades have not been executed, the results may have under-or-over compensated for the impact, if any, of certain market factors, such as lack of liquidity. Simulated trading programs in general are also subject to the fact that they are designed with the benefit of hindsight. No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve profit or losses similar to those shown.

This website is hosted and operated by NinjaTrader, LLC (“NT”), a software development company which owns and supports all proprietary technology relating to and including the NinjaTrader trading platform. NT is an affiliated company to NinjaTrader Brokerage (“NTB”), which is a NFA registered introducing broker (NFA #0339976) providing brokerage services to traders of futures and foreign exchange products. This website is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be viewed as a solicitation or recommendation of any product, service or trading strategy. No offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities, securities derivative or futures products of any kind, or any type of trading or investment advice, recommendation or strategy, is made, given, or in any manner endorsed by any NT affiliate and the information made available on this Web site is not an offer or solicitation of any kind. Specific questions related to a brokerage account should be sent to your broker directly. The content and opinions expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NT or any of its affiliates.

Vendors along with their websites, products and services, collectively referred to as (“Vendor Content”), are independent persons or companies that are in no manner affiliated with NT or any if its affiliates. NT or any of its affiliates are not responsible for, do not approve, recommend or endorse any Vendor Content referenced on this website and it’s your sole responsibility to evaluate Vendor Content. Please be aware that any performance information provided by a vendor should be considered hypothetical and must contain the disclosures required by NFA Rule 2-29(c). If you are interested in learning more about, or investigating the quality of, any such Vendor Content you must contact the vendor, provider or seller of such Vendor Content. No person employed by, or associated with, NT or any of its affiliates is authorized to provide any information about any such Vendor Content.